Thirty one days
by Shirotsuki-chi
Summary: One month to make Naruto fall in love with him and then dump him in front of the entire school for his amusement. That is the task Sasuke is given. But where does one draw the line between pretending to be in love and the real thing? .::.SasuNaru.::.
1. Day Zero

**.::.****Day Zero.::.**

"_Love is like war: easy to begin but very hard to stop.__"__  
- H.L Mencken_

Sasuke wasn't a particularly patient person. In fact, he considered himself a rather _im_patient person. He just didn't deal well with pointless waiting. Those who didn't know him well enough – which was a vast majority of people – weren't able to tell that his lack of vocal protest wasn't out of patience.

Rather, it was because he didn't want to talk and hold the situation up all the more.

Those who knew him could tell by the slight press of his eyebrows as they descended closer to a pair of obsidian black eyes and the way the corners of his mouth curled ever so slightly.

However, those who knew him that well amounted to a small group of three and the rest of the school populace was left in the dark about the supposedly tolerant Uchiha.

This was very inconvenient in times such as right now, which just so happened to be the first day back at school.

Sasuke let out an exasperated sigh as he set his bag on the hook of his desk and took his seat, feeling the familiar creak of the weary wood beneath him.

There was a wave of giggles as the girls in the classroom pointed at him and conversed in not-quite hushed tones, the occasional odd word drifting over into his hearing range.

" – _So dreamy, and I hear he's still not seeing anyone." _

" – _Do you think we'll have a chance?"_

" – _Go speak to him!" _

_No_, Sasuke thought grimly as he sent the blonde responsible for that last whisper an annoyed glare. _Please don't go speak to him._

There was the scrap of metal on the linoleum floor of the classroom as the chair belonging to the desk in front of Sasuke was spun around to join the sulking teen as it was every school morning.

"Good morning."

Sasuke looked up wearily at the cheerful greeting and gave Suigetsu a detesting glare before shifting his gaze back out the window and away from his light haired 'friend'.

No sooner had he looked back out the window then there was the scrap of two more chairs as the last of his friends joined him.

"Popular as always." Neji greeted, ignoring the slight giggle his own appearance had caused in the classroom.

Sai gave what was meant to be a serene smile and lightly asked, "how are you today Sasuke?"

He gave no answer and Sai gave a small sigh. Suigetsu murmured, "Friendly, I see."

"Can you perhaps leave me alone?" Sasuke looked up and gave his specialized sweeping glare to the assembled boys but was ignored. Requests like this from the school prince were common and the small group had long since learned to ignore them.

Sasuke however was truly irritated.

He'd not had a good morning as it was and the last thing he needed was this trio to brighten it up. First days of school were always a bore, but he had a feeling this one would push its way to the top.

There was a slight commotion at the doorway and four sets of tinted eyes flickered over in an instant reaction.

Sprawled out on the floor was the tanned body of Naruto Uzumaki – the only person in the school that copped crap from boys, girls and students both older and younger without discrimination.

Sasuke watched impassively as the blond hauled himself to his feet and steadily ignored the chorus of giggles that had gone through the room with the ease of much experience.

Sasuke couldn't be certain seeing as how he hadn't witnessed it, but he had a strong suspicion that the snickering brunette by the door had something to do with the way Naruto had wound up on the floor.

Naruto awkwardly waved off the incident with a smile and took the desk at the back of the room – the optimum spot for catching a few hours sleep during class.

_Not like it really matters to me if the dobe passes or fails_, he thought dismissively before returning his eyes to the front.

Naruto was one of those people that precious little was known about in the school. Sasuke himself being another.

The blond was hyper, active, loud, annoying and always in trouble. It was a well known fact that Naruto was involved in one third of the fights that occurred at Konoha Academy and half of the fights that occurred in Konoha in general.

Sasuke hadn't had much interaction with the blond himself but he was well aware of the fact Neji, Sai and Suigetsu were the three top offenders when it come to picking on and beating up the cheerful but isolated blond.

Sure enough, as he watched, Neji casually flicked a rubber band across the room and smirked as it smacked into the already bruised flesh of Uzumaki's cheek. Naruto winced, looked around to find the culprit and when he spotted Neji staring at him immediately looked down at the graffitied surface of his desk.

Sasuke's already drawn eyebrows closed in on each other. While he didn't particularly care that Neji felt the need to torment Uzumaki he did wish he'd do it in a way that was less obstructive to _him_. He couldn't focus with bands flying everywhere.

"Can you not do that?" He asked of his long haired friend, voice laced with thick annoyance. A brown eyebrow disappeared high into the bangs of his hair as he offered Sasuke a blank sneer.

"Don't want to see Uzumaki picked on Sasuke?"

"Fuck you." He said bluntly. "Do it in your own time."

Neji opened his mouth to retort to this but the classroom door rattled open and Kakashi breezed in, ten minutes late and effectively putting an end to all chatter around the room for the few moments required to greet them.

"Good morning, students. Resume the task we were working on at the end of last semester." Was all he said before taking the cushioned seat reserved for those teaching and pulling out the distinctive orange book that he carried everywhere.

Sasuke snorted and the talking immediately started up. The 'task' they'd been assigned at the end of last semester had been specifically designed – he suspected – just so Kakashi wouldn't have to waste time explaining a new one to them all.

"Great." Suigetsu said as he rubbed his palms together. "We've already finished that. Do we get to do what we want now?"

Sasuke shrugged apathetically and spared a glance over his shoulder to see Naruto already snoring on his desk. Really, the blonde was just too pathetic.

"Interested?" Sai asked with a smirk. Sasuke stared at him lazily.

"Curious." He corrected.

Naruto Uzumaki was a name well know and despised around the school and Sasuke had seen him often enough, but this was his first time sharing a class with him and he wanted to know if the reputation was well deserved.

Looking at him Sasuke could immediately see how this blond might piss people off. All was fair game at high school.

He returned his gaze to the front only to see Neji staring at him.

"What?" He asked irritably.

The Hyuuga's usually stoic expression didn't change but Sasuke had know him long enough to recognize that faint flicker in his eyes did not promise good things. In fact they promised bad things. Very bad. And for him, no less.

Resolute, he turned back to the front.

OoOoO_oOo_oOoOo

After school Sasuke found himself bundled off to a club by his traitorous friends and he vowed that as soon as he graduated he was moving very, very, _very _far away where none of them would ever find him.

Despite the fact they were underage the group had no problem entering the club where Sai, Suigetsu and Neji were regular patrons. Sasuke had been in once and never wanted to come back. He wasn't overly fond of alcohol, nor the affect it had on the human body – or should he say mind.

Despite his loud protests, Sasuke found himself sitting around a small, circular table while an alcoholic drink was set down in front of him by a flustered waitress as she blushed brightly. He sent her his most annoyed glare he could muster – which caused her to flinch – before pushing his drink away.

"Don't be such a spoil sport." Suigetsu pouted as he knocked back his third one in so many minutes. Sai gave a creepy smile and swirled his toothpick serenely around his glass.

"Doesn't Uzumaki piss you off?" Neji sighed as he took a small sip of his drink. Sasuke raised an eyebrow and gave an indifferent shrug.

"I suppose." He said nonchalantly. He himself didn't very much like the boy's bubbly attitude. In fact, his entire personality irritated him.

"I know, right?" Suigetsu wrinkled his lip to show his disgust, but this didn't stop him gulping down another serving of some vodka drink.

Sai's own expression was that is a man who had stepped in dog shit while wearing expensive leather shoes. "I can't stand him." Sai murmured.

"You beat him up often enough." Sasuke reminded them before waving off the nauseating hostess who kept asking if there was something wrong with his drink.

"Yes," Neji agreed, "But no matter what we do he doesn't seem to be too affected."

Sasuke remembered a time where they'd forced him into a skirt in front of half the school and the kid hadn't shown up for the rest of the week.

He thought of pointing this out but decided he didn't want to sound like he was on Uzumaki's side. Not that being on a side with these three fuck ups was much better, but he would take what choices he did have. And regardless of how much they pissed him off, they were the only three people who he considered friends.

"We need something more permanent than beating him up." Suigetsu agreed, using what little brainpower he had – that which hadn't been attacked by the drink – to reason out what he was saying. "Something so humiliating and horrible he won't _ever _live it down."

Neji's gaze slid slyly over to Sasuke and the raven haired boy knew without a doubt that what was about to be said was the whole reason for his being dragged along on this ridiculous outing.

"I have an idea." He said smoothly and the other two boys fixed him with curious eyes.

Neji finished off his drink in one elegant sip before he spoke.

"Make him fall in love with you Sasuke, and then dump him in front of the entire school."

There was silence for a moment before Suigetsu let out a low whistle.

"That is the best idea I've ever heard." He said. "Consider me impressed."

"Ingenious." Sai agreed. "I could not have – how do you say it? – thought up such sheer brilliance by myself."

Sasuke just fixed his eyes on Neji. "Time limit?" He asked.

A small smirk slipped across Neji's features.

Sasuke actually liked this idea. It was a test. A challenge, almost. And if there was anything the Uchiha welcomed, it was a challenge.

As far as evil plans went, this one was on a level with which Sasuke could work. He was sure it was much better the multitude of other ideas that his dark haired friend could have thought up.

"A month." Sai said softly. "Thirty-one days."

Suigetsu grinned widely, showing off sharp, pointed teeth. "Trying to make it harder for yourself? Or are you that confident?"

"Both." Sasuke said smoothly and Neji gave an appreciative nod.

"Thirty-one days it is." He said and the group basked in to silence. The kind of smug silence a group might share after thinking up an exceptionally evil plan. Suigetsu was first to speak again.

"To ruining people's lives just because they annoy us." He said seriously a he held his refilled glass up for a toast.

"To the emotion of shame and humility and the hold they have on us." Sai smiled as his glass joined Suigetsu's with a faint _chink_.

Neji threw Sasuke a sideways smirk. "To Sasuke and his ability he has to win peoples hearts." He raised his glace that contained the barest traces of amber liquid.

Sasuke thought for a moment before raising his own glass.

"To Naruto Uzumaki."


	2. Day one

**- Day one - **

"_It is sad not to love, but it is much sadder not to be able to love."  
- __**Miguel de Unamuno  
**____

Naruto shifted uneasily, his back pressed up against the brick wall behind him.

He'd risen early that morning in an attempt to sneak into the school unnoticed, and he'd been justifiably proud of himself. Naruto Uzumaki was not often spotted out of bed before eight-thirty on a school day and on weekends he often watched noon tick by from a cosy cocoon of blankets.

It had been a bright idea – if he did say so himself – and he'd gone mostly without attention until now, having been cornered on his way back from the storage room where a teacher had sent him to return a basketball.

Sometimes, Naruto had to wonder why he bothered.

Staying home was depressing, walking the streets was dangerous and going to school was a pain. It seemed nowhere wanted him in life. He was always that one kid who was hated without a reason. Hated because everybody else hated him. Or – more accurately – because the popular kids hated him.

He thought of Sai, Neji and Suigetsu and wished that this pale trio would at least mask their dislike for him. Those three he could deal with. But having the whole school against him was a bit much.

The adults, he knew, shunned him for his heritage and the children shunned him because the adults did. And when the children who had the most sway over the school come to despise him, he was relativity screwed because it was a 'follow the leader' kind of world.

The grip on his wrist tightened and Naruto winced, spiralling back into reality with the welcoming of pain.

It was only the second day of school, and already Naruto found that this school term bode no better than the previous one.

"So? That money you owe me, you got it?"

Naruto took a deep breath and tried to remain calm – but the blond was a natural hothead and he could already feel his blood pulsing through his veins, rearing for a fight. Just to swing his first at the tubby, smirking teen in front of him.

"I've never borrowed money off of you." Naruto said through tightly clenched teeth. "And most definitely not twenty bucks."

The group of leering boys chuckled and Naruto barely restrained himself from tackling them all right then and then. _Must not fight… Must not fight… _

The school principle – a busty blonde by the name of Tsunade – had taken Naruto aside yesterday after school and told him kindly but firmly that his grades were already appalling as it was and all the added time he spent in detention was certainly not helping. If he kept fighting he was going to fail year ten.

But when the unnamed bully slammed the palm of his hand into the wall just above Naruto's shoulder and leant in so close the blond could smell he pungent breath, those rational thoughts flew right out the window.

oOo_oOo_oOo

Sasuke was not amused. Most certainly not.

And the tall blond woman across the desk from him seemed to share his lack of pleasure.

The minutes of silence continued to stretch and only the ticking of the out dated grandfather clock in the corner of the office marked the passage of time. Sasuke supposed he should speak and break the silence just to get the whole thing over and done with again, but it was Tsunade who had called him here and Tsunade could speak first herself.

For the first time in the ten minutes since she'd called him to her office, the principle moved. The long, red nails that had been tapping repeatedly on the surface of the desk curled up to cup the smooth skin of her chin.

"We've received a call from your neighbour." She hedged and Sasuke immediately knew where this was going. He heaved a sigh and narrowed his eyes into a frightening glare. The principle ignored him utterly as she continued.

"She says that she's noticed nobody ever seems to be home, besides yourself. She was worried."

"Well..." Sasuke gritted out. "It's not really hers – or anybody else's – business."

Tsunade sighed and massaged her temple with her obscenely bright fingertips, ignoring the obvious hint to let the subject go. She cast her unreadable gaze over the stoic Uchiha as she searched for the right words.

"It is a concern, Sasuke." She said eventually. "A student staying on his own."

Sasuke's glare hardened. "I don't live on my own. I live with my brother. It just so happens his job keeps him away often, _and," _Sasuke took on a biting tone, "other students in the school live on their own so it can't really be a major concern then."

Tsunade let out an irritated little _tsk. _"Those are special circumstances." She snapped. "And you know it."

"And mine isn't?" Sasuke knew he was pressing his luck, but he was in no mood to sit here and argue his case with the school principle. He only had thirty-one days to win over Uzumaki and that was precious little time. The first day was rapidly evaporating and he hadn't seen hide nor hair of the annoying blond.

"You have a legal guardian," Tsunade growled, "and the few students in the school who live on their own _don't_."

Sasuke took a deep breath and willed himself not to bite back. "My brother is away a lot," He repeated, "but I don't live on my own. He lives there too."

Sasuke decided it would be wise not to mention he hadn't seen Itachi in about two months and had no idea where the fucking weasel was. He didn't much care, he was just glad he wasn't home.

A quick glance at the clock revealed that class would finish for the day in five minutes and Sasuke glowered. An entire day wasted. If he left now he might _just_ run into Naruto as he left and convince him to head somewhere with him.

Not likely, but possible.

"May I leave now?" Sasuke asked as politely as he could.

Tsunade studied him for a moment with her intelligent brown eyes and Sasuke did not believe for a second that this would be the end of the discussion.

"You can go." She hedged, her voice laced with doubt but Sasuke stood none the less.

Without pausing - lest she remember something else to besiege him with - he strode towards the door and tried to contain his annoyance so as not to fling it open. Years of working the perfect poker face payed off and he stepped out the door with all the dignity the heir to a respected family like himself should hold. He shut the door firmly behind him and turned around to leave. As he did so, he saw the person waiting to go in and nearly had a fucking heart attack.

Naruto Uzumaki was sitting on the wooden bench - commonly known by the students as the hot-seat - as he waited for Tsunade.

The blonde was sporting several new and exotic shades of purple that Sasuke was fairly certain he had not had when he caught a glimpse of the fiery tempered boy during morning break. His lip was caked in dry blood too, Sasuke duly noted, and one of his fingers seemed to be stiff. A good sign it was at the very least badly bruised.

Naruto seemed to realize there was somebody looking at him for the first time and turned his sulking glare upwards sharply to look at Sasuke.

There was a moment of silence as the pair observed each other.

"You don't look so good." Sasuke commented airily and Naruto snorted.

"You wouldn't either."

Sasuke spared a glance at the wooden door behind him. It didn't appear as though Tsunade was ready to call Naruto in yet so he instead eased his back against the wall in a casual lean. This was an unbelievable coincidence. Who would have thought that his very first day wouldn't be a waste after all?

"What happened?" He asked as casually as he could. Naruto gave a grin and a half hearted shrug.

"Ganged up on. Three against one is so breaking the rules. Still, I had em' beat in the end." As he grinned his cracked lips split open again and a flesh trickle of blood flowed down tanned skin as it dripped off his chin. "Oh come on!" Naruto cried as he wiped it away.

Sasuke watched as Naruto proceeded to swear at the red bodily fluid and threaten to harm it in many different ways - the most creative of which was to squeeze it's stomach so hard it's innards popped out like ramen noodles. Sasuke came to a conclusion right then and there. Everything he had ever heard about Naruto from anybody was completely accurate.

The blonde was an idiot.

A quick rustle in his jacket pocket produced a clean, white handkerchief and he dutifully offered it to the blonde.

Naruto flushed slightly as he took it and dabbed at his bleeding lower lip. "Uhh... Thanks. Sasuke, right?" The raven haired teen raised an eyebrow in clear question and Naruto chuckled a little, as much as one can chuckle when they have a cloth pressed to their lip. "Well, _everybody _knows about you." He explained.

Sasuke decided this was very much one of those unfortunate truths in life and didn't dwell on it. It would have been stranger for Naruto to _not_ know his name.

Naruto pulled the handkerchief away from his lip and gave a sigh when he saw the blood flow had stopped again. He looked down at the brand new handkerchief which

now had a bright red stain blossoming across it's middle and gave an embarrassed sort of cough. "Sorry. I'll give it back after it's been washed." He gave a little laugh.

Sasuke's eyes flickered to the handkerchief and he shrugged. "Keep it." He said. It was a perfectly ordinary handkerchief and he had a dozen more back home. He would much rather have Naruto keep the handkerchief so he was less likely to forget this little exchange and the generosity the perfect student had offered him. Sasuke smirked slightly.

"Uh, thanks. I'm Naruto by the way. Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto offered one of his hands in what was obviously a rare gesture for the blonde. "Pleased to meet ya'."

Sasuke glanced down at the tanned hand and noted with interest the rough palms of somebody who spent a lot of time fighting. He accepted the handshake genially, slipping his own pale hand over Naruto's and looking him straight in the eye as he gave his hand a squeeze. "likewise." He murmured.

A light dusting colored Naruto's cheeks red for a second before the blonde retracted his hand, tearing his eyes away from Sasuke to stare blatantly out the window.

Sasuke smirked and slid his hand into the pocket of his pants. This was going to be as easy as taking candy from a baby. Not that Sasuke had ever _tried _to take candy from a baby. He didn't like candy and he didn't like children. He wouldn't be caught dead with an several meters of either of his own free will.

It was silent for a moment and Sasuke slid his gaze back over to the door beside him. He had a feeling that Tsunade was deliberately keeping Naruto waiting. Not that it particularly bother him. The more time he spent with the blonde, the better.

"Is there a reason the principle hasn't called you in yet?" He asked nonchalantly. Naruto muttered something that sounded vaguely like, _"Stupid old grandma," _before he answered.

"She likes to keep me waiting." Was the grumbled answer. "I've been sitting here for about half an hour now and I wouldn't put it past her to leave me out here for an even hour." He ran his tanned fingers through his hair and gave Sasuke a sour look.

"You get into fights often?" The dark haired Uchiha asked. The answer was obvious but a little extra research never hurt anybody.

"No!" Naruto objected. He hesitated, "It's not like _I pick _fights... They just sorta..." He trailed off an scratched wearily at his head as he searched his barren mind for the right words. "Happen?" He finished uncertainly.

Sasuke snorted. "Happen?" He repeated.

Naruto glared up at him. "What? You wanna make something of it?" He asked defensively.

"And that's not _picking _a fight?" Sasuke asked in a voice laced with skepticism.

"That's different." Naruto objected. Sasuke opened his mouth to reply when the door swung open beside him and Tsunade poked her head out.

She looked suspiciously at Sasuke for a moment before flicking her gaze over to Naruto. She sighed when she saw his colorful skin complexion and jerked her head to her office. "Come on." She sighed. She looked over at Sasuke and frowned. "And go home kid. I'm done with you."

"As you wish." Sasuke said smoothly and stood up straight. He looked back over at Naruto and smirked. "So you around." he offered and turned his back before the blonde could reply.

Indeed, the second day hadn't been as much of a waste as he had first though it would be. He would make this work. There was the shrill sound of the bell ringing and Sasuke faded into the crowd of students as they hurried from place to place.

Indeed, he was sure he could do this.

With a victorious smirk he drew his shoulders higher and strode easily out of the school building.


End file.
